Kyoto and Tokyo Seminars in Japanese Law

Kyoto Seminar: : 6-10 February 2017Tokyo Seminar: 13-14 February 2017(An introductory class will be held in Sydney)

2017 Applications have closed

The Kyoto and Tokyo seminars offer a unique opportunity to study Japanese Law on an intensive basis in global and socio-economic context. The program aims to develop the general skills of comparative lawyers, to effectively and critically assess contemporary developments in one of the world's wealthiest democracies. It is jointly organised by Sydney Law School and Ritsumeikan University School of Law in collaboration with the Australian Network for Japanese Law (ANJeL).

Classes are taught in English on an intensive basis by ANJeL co-directors and members, and Japanese professors, mainly from Ritsumeikan University School of Law, with some guest lectures by Japanese and other practitioners. The program also includes field trips to various legal institutions. About half the students generally come from Ritsumeikan or other Japanese Law Schools; the other half come from Australian universities or other institutions.

The Kyoto Seminar is held at Ritsumeikan University Law School in Kyoto and provides an introduction to how law operates in Japanese society. After an overview of comparative law techniques, Japanese legal history and its contemporary legal system, classes explore civil and criminal justice, consumer law, politics and constitutionalism, government and the law, gender and law, and an introduction to business and law.

The Tokyo Seminar is held at the Ritsumeikan University campus in Tokyo and examines business law topics in socio-economic context in more detail. After outlining developments in the Japanese economy, including Japan's proliferating Free Trade Agreements, it covers areas such as corporate and securities law, investment and finance law, labour law, competition or IP law, ADR and lawyering.

Enrolment is available to undergraduate and postgraduate law students, and Juris Doctor students seeking to obtain credit for a tertiary award, and to students with appropriate tertiary education qualifications who are seeking to enrol for non-degree purposes.

A maximum of 35 students will be accepted into each seminar so applicants are urged to submit applications without delay to avoid disappointment. Preference is given to University of Sydney law students and then to cross-institutional law students. Non-degree and non-law applications are considered only if space permits.

The above application and informational documents are for University of Sydney students and cross-institutional students seeking to enrol for academic credit (or for non-degree purposes) through the University of Sydney only. All other students should apply direct to Ritsumeikan University School of Law at www.ritsumei.ac.jp/japanese-law/kyoto-seminar.